Thursday, September 18, 2014

A Refugee in Sri Lanka left alone to be killed

Written by: Sadia KhanA refugee woman threatened by 2 states protected by none.

Sri Lankan most famous lawyer Lakshan Dias confirmed to UNHCR that Sadia Khan is wanted by 2 states.

I am Sadia Khan. I wrote about Pakistan intelligence agency (ISI) & became a target of 2 friendly States Pakistan and Sri Lanka. I fled Pakistan with my little sister & mother to save our life and got trapped by Sri Lankan intelligence (SIS)

Sri Lankan authorities took our passports & all we had. We were illegally detained and were about to be deported on the request of Pakistan ISI when we fled from the detention.

For the last 2 long years we live in hiding and bleed every day.

Though its crystal clear that 2 States want to take our life none has protected us so far. While Sri Lankan authorities are looking for us we continue to live in fear.

Here are the main points. It is very clear that Pakistan is chasing me in Sri Lanka.

(1) When I wrote by the name of Khizra I was followed on the internet which continues to date.

As soon as I got exposed, Sri Lankan authorities took us to the detention.

(2) An officer who was the part of special CID team, shouted at me, "You give our information to India." Another said "why did you do that, you don't know your country."

(3) Officers in the detention camp told us clearly.

"Your case is between ISI and SIS. ISI Head contacted SIS Head to investigate about you. Special investigation team is investigating about you. You will be taken to the court and deported."

(4) Two very well educated Pakistani men came to the detention camp at different occasions and collected information about us from the other detainees.

(5) When I had a minor heart attack, a Doctor in the Hospital told me that Sri Lankan authorities have informed the Hospital Management that I am a spy.

(6) I was guarded by armed police men and women in uniform in the hospital.

(7) My mother was not allowed to visit me.

(8) I called my church Brother from the hospital and asked him to help me. He said "police came to my house to investigate about you. They have declared you a criminal and its a crime to help criminals. You don’t even know what you are being charged with"

(9) When I was discharged from the hospital, 2 police officers took me to a horrible looking jail, they talked about me and my name was enlisted there.

(10) In the detention camp I discussed all this with a very kind immigration officer He said with lot of worry "I am also listening to this Spy Spy thing"

(11) In October 2013 I called immigration Department of Sri Lanka. I spoke to the Deputy Controller General of immigration. I asked him if I get married to a foreigner and want to leave your country will you return my passport?

He said no why did you come here?.

(12) I spoke to another immigration officer Assistant Controller Bandara and asked for help. In the guise of a friend he told me, Special forces are looking for you, I will secretly return your passports. Run to India. Leave this place this call must be getting traced.

(13) Easwaran a Christian Sri Lankan journalist promised me that he will take me out from this trouble. After speaking to Sri Lankan foreign Ministry sounded very worried and wrote to me that he cannot afford to support me anymore.

"Hide hide Special Forces are looking for you." He also told me that according to the authorities I was recently spotted in Jafana. (I have never been there) He was also very worried that my call will be traced to him.

(15) Mr Tatari an Afghan detainee told my mother on phone that immigration officers have asked him about me( Sadia) several times. They are getting more and more aggressive and want to know my location. They are accusing him that it was him who told me how to get out from the detention camp.

(16) During my efforts to save my life I called Pakistan High Commission several times. They tried to trace my calls and tried to convince me to pay a visit to them (to be arrested) Deputy High Commissioner Amna Baloch who actually wanted to help me told me that she had no access to my file in the embassy. It was horrible to know that I had a file in Pakistan high Commission Sri Lanka.

(17) Recently I called Sri Lankan Immigration and once again requested them to return our passports so that we can move about freely before our resettlement to a safe country. They kept insisting that I should pay them a visit.

During our detention Lakshan Dias the most famous Sri Lankan lawyer ,Chairman of SANRIM, who has currently challenged court decision about the deportation of Asylum seekers in Supreme court wrote to UNHCR confirming that he has 1st hand knowledge that I am targeted by Pakistan friendly Sri Lankan SIS to fulfill the request of Pakistan ISI. I am putting the snapshot of his email below.2 long years have passed. Though we have a huge threat to our life yet we are not saved by any other state.